Luminous laminated product and process of manufacture



March 3, 1942. J. F. DREYER 2,275,290

LUMINOUS LAMINATED PRODUCT AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE Filed Jan. 29,, 1941 rz c'ymi I 4 7 i ;l 6 i i J 2 4 Patented Mar. 3,1942

LUMINOUS LAMINATED PRODUCT AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE John F. Dreyer, Cincinnati, Ohio, ass ignor to The Formica, Insulation Company, a corporation of Ohio.

Application January 29, 1941, Serial No. 376,552

7 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to an im- A further object of the invention is to use I an opaque reflecting sheet under the luminous sheet which reflects both the visible and near ultra-violet light, the opaque sheet being very effective in augmenting the brilliance of theflnal product.

A further object of the invention is to provide a laminated product such as "Formica in which an opaque mask, having cut-out portions to pro-.- duce an ornamental design, is placed over the continuous luminescent sheet so that only portions'of the luminescent sheet will be visible in the final product.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the laminated product embodying the invention; Figure 2, an exploded end elevational view showing the arrangement with various sheets prior to consolidation under heat and pressure; and Figure 3, an end elevational view of the product after it has been consolidated and rendered substantially infusible.

In the embodiment illustrated, 4 designates a foundation-body to which the upper sheets are applied. Upon the foundation-body 4 is placed an opaque reflecting sheet 5 which may be of paper impregnated with a varnish in which is incorporated suitable pigments such as titanium oxide white pigment. 7 It will be understood that the sheet will be dry before assembly.

The sheet Ii preferably is a paper body sheet which is impregnated with a heat-hardenable binder, such as urea formaldehyde, in which is incorporated va fluorescent dye such as fluoresine or eosine. The latter dyes may be added to-the water or alcohol urea formaldehyde varnish and will be dissolved in the varnish. Approximately 1% of the dye will produce satisfactory results.

However, the percentage of dye may vary from .001 to 50, After the varnish has been applied to the paper, it may be dried in the usual manner and will be ready for assembly over the reflecting sheet 5.

such as zinc sulphide crystal phosphors. These pigments will coat the paper whereas the dyes will penetrate the paper.

The sheet 'I may be in the form of a paper opaque mask having either cut-out portions or transparent portions arranged in the form of a decorative design to permit those portions of the underlying phosphorescent or luminescent sheet to be seen. In Figure 1, for the purpose of illustration, the cut-out portion is shown in the form of a star. This sheet is also impregnated with a heat-hardenable binder, suchas urea formaldehyde varnish, and is dried before being superposed on the assembly. If desired, an additional surface sheet 8 may be provided over the sheet I, although the sheet 1 may serve as the outer sheet. If an additional surface sheet 8 is pro- 'vided, it may be a plain sheet of absorbent paper impregnated with a clear varnish which, when hot pressed, will become transparent or semitransparent.

After the sheets have been assembled, as shown in Figure 3, the assembly is placed in a press and consolidated under heat and pressure into the final product shown in Figure 3. The consolidation causes the surface sheet or sheets to become Insoluble pigments may be used, if preferred, 5

sufliciently transparent so that when light is projected onto the product a beautiful color effect is obtained, which is greatly enhanced by the reflection through the'luminous sheet from the opaque reflecting sheet 5. In ordinary light or daylight one color is obtained and a different color is seen when an ultra-violet light is thrown onto the panel. The product is particularly useful on instrument boards of airplanes, automobiles and the like, where it is important that parts of the panel be seen clearly and yet no glare must be thrown back into the eyes of the operator. The product is also useful in providing decorative walls in theaters and the like where it is desirable to produce different .color effects by using different sources of light. The surface sheet provides a hard smooth protective film for the luminous sheet and can readily be cleaned without injury to the panel. Of course, it will be understood that if finely ground phosphorescent crystals are used on a luminous sheet, the glow will continue after the ultra-violet radiation has been stopped.

no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled'in the art.

I claim:

1". In the manufacture of decorative laminated products, the method which comprises: adding a small per cent of fluorescent dye to a urea formaldehyde varnish and impregnating a fabric body sheet with said varnish and drying same; superposing said sheet on an opaque sheet which reflects both visible and ultra-violet light; placing a surface sheet, impregnated with a urea formaldehyde varnish, over the body sheet; and consolidating the assembly under heat and pressure.

2. A laminated product having a smooth decorative surface, comprising: a backing sheet having a bright reflecting surface; a body sheet impregnated with a urearesin in which is incorporated a small per cent of fluorescent dye; and a surface sheet having transparent portions and opaque portions arranged to form a design, said sheet being impregnated with a clear urea resin, all of said sheets being consolidated together under heat and pressure.

3. In the manufacture of laminated products, the method which comprises: coating with phosphorescent pigments an'opaque sheet which reflects visible and ultra-violet light and is impregnated with a heat-hardenable binder; placing over said coating a sheet having opaque portions and transparent portions and impregnated with a urea resin which transmits visible and ultraviolet light; superposing a surface sheet impregnated with a similar urea resin; and consolidating the assembly under heat and pressure.

4. A laminated product comprising: an opaque backing sheet having a surface which reflects visible and ultra-violet light; a sheet on said backing sheet which is impregnated with a urea impregnated with a urea resin which transmits visible and ultra-violet light; and a surface sheet on the mask sheet impregnated with a urea resin which transmits ultra-violet and visible light, the assembly having been consolidated under heat and pressure.

5. In the manufacture of decorative laminated products, the method which comprises: consolidating under heat and pressure onto a surface resin and is coated with phosphorescent pigments; a mask sheet on said last-mentioned sheet having opaque portions and transparent portions dating under heat and which reflects visible and ultra-violet light, a body sheet impregnated with a urea resin which transmits ultra-violet light and contains a small per cent of fluorescent dye, and a surface sheet of transparent character impregnated with a urea. 1228811: which transmits ultra-violet and visible 6. A laminated product having a decorative surface, comprising: a. backing sheet having a bright reflecting surface for ultra-violet and visible light; a body sheet impregnated with a urea resin binder which transmits ultra-violet and visible light and in which is incorporated a small per cent of fluorescent dye; and a surface sheet impregnated with a clear heat-hardenable resin which transmits ultra-violet and visible light, all of said sheets being consolidated together under heat and'pressure and the resin being in the final infusible condition.-

7. In the manufacture of decorative laminated products, the method which comprises: consolipressure onto a surface, which reflects visible and ultra-violet light, a body sheet impregnated with a urea formaldehyde resin containing a small per cent of fluorescent dye, and a surface sheet mask having portions opaque to ultra-violet and visible light and transparent portions impregnated with a urea 1riesin which transmits ultra-violet and visible zht.

JOHN F. DREYER. 

